Terrible Twos

[lonelyarmywife]

Two year old require more patience than I possess.

Today, for instance, my son has managed to pull every book off the bookshelf, every DVD off the rack, get the VCR jammed (yes, i still own one) pull all his pullups out of the package, rip the sheets off the bed, eat cat food, and dump laundry detergent all over my living room rug...twice. I strongly suspect he flushed the soap down the toilet. I have no evidence to prove his, except for the facts that the soap is missing and the toilet is backed up. He also followed behind me undoing every housekeeping chore that I managed to get accomplished.

The child has 86 arms. Two are constantly seen. The rest only jut out as needed to create chaos and mayhem. They are never seen, but their effects are felt throughout the house.

Any suggestions for me so that my child might live to see three, and I might stay out of jail?

LAW

P.S. Yes, I spank.

[WildIrish]

Have two more children.


By the time your third is two...you'll be used to the chaos. :p


I've always theorized that a child wanders aimlessly leaving a wake of destruction and displaced toys behind them. If you are lucky enough to pick it up at the end...you can follow their trail backwards and at the end, you'll have a clean house.

I say "theorized" because that theory has yet to be proven. So actually, I should say "postulize". Isn't that the rule for mathmatical equations? Postulates are ideas that haven't been proven; theorems are proven postulates. :confused:


Now I don't know.

Where was I before I got sidetracked?


Oh yes...have more kids. So get busy, and take pics! :p

[alspals69]

Hey there,

I have a two ear old...nearly three actually. A girl, but still, i do know exactly what you mean. I know that feeling of whater you do is then undone. And if ahe plays with her sister to distract her momentarily, tear usually ensue shortly after.

Some one i know who has managed a relatively stress free parenthood said to me... well why are you letting her? She basicly said make sure she gets lots of sleep at night, only have the minimum of hard to clear up stuff about and make sure she gets some quality fun time with us so she does have to resort to bad behaviour to get attention. What else.... never negotiate, just give a couple of choices that you have predecided, lock up or fit child latches where possible etc. Oh she had a kinda "safe " room with a child gate on it so she when she did want to get on she could do so interupted.

This isn't what our house is like by the way... I just wish it was.

[lonelyarmywife]

Have two more children.


:p


Working on it...#2 is on the way.

[jseal]

lonelyarmywife,

What I did was to take my monsters to the park in the afternoons. That kept them out of the house so they couldn't trash it, it got ME out of the house, and it let them burn off excess energy. They would run, run, run to stay up with me as we walked through the park (Patterson Park is a biggish one). After dinner, when bedtime came around, well, they would do their crash and burn, and as I watched them sleep the sleep of the innocent, I would feel guilty about wanting to throttle them three or four times that day.

Hey - time is on your side. :)

[Jude30]

I feel your pain. Our daughter is two and a half today. For the most part she's a very good kid, but she has her moments when I'm sure she has been possesed.

[Pita]

Awwww I miss two! Cherish them I say! They will soon be 14 and telling you about your bad parenting in a superior, condescending voice that makes you want to rip their hair out. Your yours :hair:

[Jude30]

Yeah I know. The other day I made her let me carry her to bed because I know the day is coming all too soon that I won't get to carry her in to bed and tuck her in anymore. As much of a pain she can be sometimes I know there are goingto be days when I miss the simpleness of all this.

[ShadowDancer]

OMG I am so with you on this one. My son will turn 3 in November, but he is a holy terror in the house! Climbing in the bathroom, getting my lipstick and painting the walls with it...taking my blush and crushing it in his room...INTENTIONALLY peeing in the floor and pooping on the carpet. Ripping EVERY single piece of clothing out of his dresser, pulling off every book, dvd, vhs tape that is on the shelves downstairs...emptying his toybox and REFUSING to help clean up. Playing in the guinea pig food and the bird food and dumping it all over the carpet...OY VEY! :hair: Makes me wish for some of these :cuffs: and this :spank: doesnt' help..he just laughs...Timeout doesnt work either.

[Loulabelle]

*Walks away from this thread pretending she never saw it*

La la laaa...la la laaa!

[LixyChick]

LMFAO@^^^^^

Denial ISN'T a river in Egypt Lou! Pay attention!!!!!!!!

[lonelyarmywife]

Seems to have been a one day demon that has been purged from his system. He's been much better lately.


Ha ha don't be scared Lou! I swear it's worth it!



























Most days.

[wyndhy]

there's a reason they call 'em terrible twos. :p i'm sure he'll grow out of it. :D

some more advice.
be consistent: if you make a rule, you've gotta enforce it. pretty much no exceptions. those damn kids smell weakness and they pounce like rabid tabbies.

help him learn to be responsible for the chaos he creates: i.e. have him help you clean up, fix, etc

let him help you with chores. it'll take longer but you can get time in with him and still get your stuff done.

give him more credit, more responsibity, more input. when they're two, it's very easy to think of them as just large babies 'casue they're all clumsy and blabbering and whiney, but it's hard to remember that they are smarter and more observant and learning faster than we realize while at the same time having great difficulty expressing themselves...very frustrating to be two, i'm sure.

i've also found that kids (at least my kids) respond better to sternness than intimidation. if i'm all up in their little faces yelling mommy dearest-like, they degenerate into incoherently psychotic, blubbering munchkins. if i'm firm but kind (like mary poppins :D) it always goes much better for all. i can totally relate, though (((law))). sometimes it's so hard to keep my cool.

[txgrneyes]

OH darlin I understand completely. When I worked at the daycare I started in the toddler room. I was then moved to the 2 yr old room when my own was graduating from infant to toddler. So from a teacher that had up to 13 kids in one class at one time...let me give you some advice.


Have a schedule and try to stick to it. Let them help with household chores. If your doin laundry- show them how to sort, let them go behind you and pick up what you drop ( and drop some on purpose adding "oh mom is being so goofy I keep dropping the clothes, can you help me pick that up), and praise them. That makes them smile and warms your heart at the same time. Also, have a nap time. that gives you and her a break. Even if you lay down with her.

There were other suggestion on here that are real good. Just dont let them rule the house. You are the parent! Not the baby you created. If you want someone to rule your house....let one of the grandparents move in with you.


just my thoughts,
natalie

[quirkycpl69s]

I know how you feel!!! lol. My 2 are 42 weeks apart..my son will be 3 in january and my daughter 2 in december. well my son decided to start his terrrible 2's late and my daughter decided she may as well start them early I think, because what one misses the other is sure to get!!!

[Oldfart]

Distraction and more distraction.

[PantyFanatic]

Try this

[Lilith]

Do you have 10 of those I could borrow?

[PantyFanatic]

Just ask for the "loooong sleeve turtleneck that buckles down the back" model. ;)

[ShadowDancer]

My son is fast approaching 3..he'll be 34 mos on Sept 19. Lately, his daddy just started a 2nd job where he's working nights. HOLY HELL has that been an adventure. I have become a married single working mother. Now isn't that a mouthful. I get home from work, then about 45 mins later, hubby comes home, is home for about 45 mins and then goes off to his 2nd job. I'm left to deal with the tears and the "Daddy left me.." 's and the "I want my Daddy!!!" Then he begins the tantrums and the throwing things and blatant refusal to do ANYTHING asked of him or told of him. "Choices" have had no effect. Extra loves from Mommy have had no effect. Time out...nope, no dice. Around 8pm, we go and take hubby his dinner and so far, that seems to be ok.....Now. When mine was 9 mos old, Daddy working nights wasn't as big a deal...he adjusted easily. Now it's HELL!!!!






<-----skips off to the local padded room for some peace! :sad:

[wyndhy]

shadow dancer, try getting a largish pic of hubby that the litte guy can carry around, or a favorite hat he can wear.

[Teddy Bear]

Just cherish every frustrating minute. They grow up so fast. (My daughters are 20 & 25) One bit of advice that worked for me..... When they are at thier worst and you're about to scream, pick her up and hug her and tell her you love her. At 2 yrs old it didn't always calm her but it did me. And if you do that when they're teenagers, just before you ground them for life...it makes 'em feel so guilty. hehehe... who said parents had to play fair.

My best wishes to all of you with young ones. You... and child.... will get through this. Take lots of pictures, make lots of memories and love the little darlin's when they're the least loveable.

(((((Pixie parents)))))

[Steph]

My biological clock has totally stopped ticking. :D

[ShadowDancer]

am I a glutton for punishment?? I'm currently baking #2, due to arrive in 7/11/07!